Children of the Outer
by Reclusiarch Mikelus
Summary: A crisis has taken hold of not just Jump City, but everywhere. Reports of unknown creatures are in newspapers, people are found not just murdered, but mutilated beyond belief. And the Titans are determined to stop it. [Ratings change as things progress]
1. Unholy Confessions

Please stick with me here. Everything in the story is explained in time, including Malice's powers and junk.  
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I'm too weird to live, but much too rare to die_

Chapter One: Unholy Confessions

I couldn't believe he was dead. An innocent bystander... jsut another casualty of a turf war...

When was this war going to end? 27 people were 6 ft. under due to this war. Malice had to stop this war. Either Black Night had to wipe out The Razors, or they needed a treaty. I didn't care. Malice lead Black Night, and I knew they had the capability to wipe out The Razors, just an ordinary gang. But something was wrong.

I heard footsteps approach, and I made myself scarce. Looking out from under a darkness spell, I saw Malice approaching Michael's grave. He held something in his hand. It was... a dagger.

"Hey man, I know you can hear me... I'm sorry you were there. You shouldn't have been killed. ...I should've realized what they were doing. And nothing can bring you back. You're gone, but I will have the heads of those who did this." He was paying respects in his own way. "I'm sorry..." He threw the dagger in the ground and turned to leave.

"Malice." I called out before I could stop myself. His head spun around, searching for me. He raised his hand and let a burst of energy go. It spread out, illuminating all the living things, me included, before I could move.

"Raven." Malice said curtly after seeing where I was. "You saw me then I take it."

"Yeah. I didn't think you had any regret, or would care what happened to any who was in the wrong place at the wrong time." A tear slid down my cheek slowly.

"Your boyfriend he was, yes, but we were close friends too. He wasn't just your boyfriend, he was my _best friend._" He replied.

"Then why'd you let him die? Why couldn't you save him?" More tears, and my vision blurred.

"Because we're not up against some gang. And this is no turf war."

"Then what are we up against?" I asked, with tears flowing freely.

"I don't know. But they overwhelmed me. He tried to help, and they charred him..." He replied, a tear sliding down his cheek too.

"And now..."

"I know! I know..." Malice came over to me and hugged me, us both crying without shame. "And now he's dead, and there's nothing I can do. It tears me up that I can't do anything. He was my friend... my goddamn friend..."

"But he was more to me." I began, crying on his shoulder as much as he was crying on mine. "He was my reason to get up. To live... now what reason do I have?"

Malice wiped his tears away with my cape. he had always been like that. He faced me, his red eyes burning with hatred. "Know that he wanted you to live you life. As he was dying, he told me to tell you to go on without him. That he knew you had the strength to do it, but you needed a push. He has faith in you Raven, you must have faith in yourself. You have to move on, don't be consumed by grief."

"I will then." A feeling of fullness replaced the feeling of emptyness. For now.

"Things are bound to change Raven. For the worst." He turned to leave and disappeared into the shadow. "Dark will turn to light in time." I heard him echo.


	2. Jealousy Is An Ugly Word

Chapter Two: Jealousy Is An Ugly Word

_Malice's POV_

I walked down the hill and walked to Black Night's lair. I was walking in silence, alone with my thoughts. I kept trying to figure out who might want this to happen. That's when it hit me. Not it as in the answer, it as in something I had not seen. And it hit hard.

"You assholes again?" I was incredulous. I had been attacked somewhere close to 29 times, and it was getting ridiculus. The thing swung at my head with a claymore, but missed completely as I used the shadows to supplement my speed. My red eyes were alive. They had to be to tell me his weakpoints.

"Why won't you," He grunted with the effort of swinging the claymore, "die!" And the worst part is, that stopped me. I had no good one-liner, so I just put him in a Doom Hold, something I invented. Gruesome, but effective at gathering information.

"Why are you... whatever-the-hell-you-are's still attacking and ambushing me?" I asked, now thoroughly ticked off.

"Because the master wishes your head on a silver platter." The thing answered.

"And he is?" I was surprised this thing submitted so willingly, but I needed more answers.

"You may know him by Mishiaxzhi. But that is not his true name."

"His true name?"

"Miikjuhhruzzxzih"

"Interesting." I let go of the Doom Hold, and the creature clutched its throat, gasping. One more question flickered through my brain. "What the hell are you?"

The thing smiled and answered: "We are known in your launguage as the Jerudar. Our true name being-"

"I don't want to know." I interrupted. I turned to walk away, but the Jerudar stopped me.

"Well? Give me an honorable death. That is the least you could do." This surprised me too. Mishiaxzhi must not look very kindly on cowards.

"Fine." I pulled Soul Eater out from the shadows, the blade flashed, and the Jerudar's head rolled off, its mouth open, exposing many rows of teeth, its eyes blank. Curious, that it had so many rows of teeth, no tongue, but was able to speak perfectly English, albiet in a very gravelly rough voice.

Pondering this as I walked back to the Sanctuary, home of Black Night, I was once more interrupted but this time by Starfire. Doing her shopping I presumed, taking into account her many grocery bags.

"I did not expect to see you here. Killing more innocent people?"

"No. Just glad I don't have to eat your food."

"Have you come here to insult me?"

"No, I'm going home. And tell Raven that they're the Jerudar." I walked on, leaving Starfire bewildered. I walked without interruption to the Sanctuary. I simply bypassed the door and walked in. I startled Hatred.

"Nice to see ya boss. I trust they didn't give you too much trouble?" He asked, casually.

"No, and found out that they're the Jerudar."

"Excellent. We'll cross-reference that. And by the way, Despair's pissed. Something about you and Raven hugging?"

"Ah jeez, not again... doesn't she have anything better to do than be my shadow? No pun intended."

"Apparently not. Fear tried to calm her down, but she couldn't. I'd be careful if I was you." He finished with a wary grin. Then he nodded and resumed duty as doorkeep.

I sighed, knowing Despair would go into her tirade again. Which is pretty bad, considering that's again. I sighed to myself and walked into the room we shared. She sat there, her dark eyes glowing with anger and, what seemed, emptyness.

"So you and Raven are...?" She began.

"No. We're friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Why do I have to keep explaining this to you?"

"If you two are just friends, how come you two spend more time together than us?"

"Because you're so jealous and overprotective! Once again you've made an assumption, a wrong one I might add, that just adds to your jealousy. Once again, you've made a fool of yourself, and me, by your childish games. Once again, you've proved to me that I can't trustt you or have friends. Once again-" Despair cut me off at this point.

"All right, all right," she said, holding her hands up for me to stop. "I get it. I'm a very jealous person. But I can't help it. You and Black Night are the best things to happen to me. Everytime I see you with another female, even a friend, my jealous side just... takes over. It's a result of what happened to me before..." she trailed off and looked away.

"And that would be...?"

"My first love cheated on me all the time, only I was too blind to see it. I didn't want it to happen this time." She seemed absolutely devastated.

"Damn... I'm sorry for going off on you like that, but... it was just too much for me."

"I know... well, I can understand. We both agree that I shouldn't be as jealous right?" She asked. I nodded in consent. "But you could be spending more time with me."

"True. Well, it's something to work on now isn't it?" She nodded. I felt as if a big weight had been lifted from me. Not that I couldn't have lifted it myself, just kept forgetting.

"So what was so important that you two had to have a moment?"

"Michael. Through death... new life. But not all bad news, Hatred is gonna cross-reference the Jerudar. Apparently we do know the name of what we're up against."

"Well... we can worry about that tomorrow." With a kiss, we let the world slip away into darkness.


End file.
